Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-04-29

This community has rarely received a sharper
or more impressive reminder Of the lihceitnlnN
Of human life than IN the death uf Mr. De Wit
Leonard for the past twelve years leading job
printer Of this town. After an illurss ol but ten
days, which was recognized as alarming only at
the last. he died Saturday evening Of brain fever
at his residence on Green street, aged u years.
Mr. Leonard was native of Farhayen. Rutland
county, where he NHas born Jan 10, 1896. Though
his father designed to have him follow his own
nVopatiOn, that Of a farmer. Young DE Witt early
manifested desire To learn the printers art aud
despite parental encouragement and without In.
striction he had managed at the age Of 10 or 10
years, by occasional visit to printing Office In
some neighburing village, to acquire the myster-
les of the art preventative aud had set up an
Office Of his own In his fathers paror where. a
mile aud half away from the business part Of
the town with presses, type ETC. largely Of his own
make he carried on thriving, aud In time quite
an extensive business. His mechanical genius was
also early displayed In the building Of toy steam
engines aud various other cuntrivances. Though
prevented by near sightetlness from shouldeiing
his musket aud entering the ranks when the war
broke out, he enlisted II company Of volunteers
and took them on TO Washington, and, had he
been permitted by those IN authority, would have
led them 10 battle as their captain lie was after
ward for two years engaged successfully in the
mercantile business at Fairhavcn in company
with Mr. Seth Thompson, the firm being Leonard
x Thompson, aud in 1865 was associated with Mr.
Simeon Allen rs proprietor Of a large slate MIL
and quarry but whatever business venture he
engaged IN for time, he naturally and speedily
grnVitapd back to his first love the printing bust
ness Aside from little amateur journal pub
lished in his earlier years. his only newspaper
venture was IN the publication Of the falihaNch
Journal. Of which Mr r.. II Phelps, now cashier
Of the Farhayrn bank, was editor. Dispensing Of
his business in Fairhaven To Mr. ID. J.. Craudol
who aftprward became a resident Of Bfatteburu,
Mr. Leonard In 1874 went to Lincoln, Nrb., where
| for several months he was foreman Of a large
| printing establishment For time also hr was
! engaged ~ decorative advertising ~ New 1"ih
| In February, 1919, Mr. Leonard came to Brattle.
boro and bought the job printing business aud
material belonging Ia th,y,statr Of + D. Cobleigh,
| then recently deceusrdl which business he has
afnce conducted in Harmony block, making it one
| of the largest aud most complete printing estub-
| shments IN the state II was largely through his
work and personal Influence that the printing bus
/ mess Of BfHttrburu has been built up 10 lis pres
! rnt large proportions. taking, as II undoubtedly
does the leading rank In the state In this respect
| In 1872 he built the handsome and substantial
brick block on Elliot street since occupied 10y the
| Farmers and Mechanics exchange.
| Though not what is called "A public man. Mr..
Leonard was closely identified with the Interests
| uf the community business, social and religions,
| aud was esteemed by all as "A man Of upright
| character, sound judgment. aud genial dispusi-
| ton, IA man whom il was pleasure to meet and
to know In his death the fraternity Of print, r.
and publishers. not only ia iruirburu hut through
out the state. loses one Of the best and soundst
/ men it has ever had While his enterprise and
| quiet personal influence led to "A constantly IN
| crrusing volume Of his business, he never sHcrtc.
! ed sound business and professional principles Tor
| present gain or advantage. Every competitor
| could le sure that no uunanly or uuhusin,'Ss like
| tactics would be- used to secure patronage tor
| lis office Nothing was done at hap-huzard. lie
certainty the cost Of every pee. Of work aud
what it ought to be- done for to yield linn living
profit and at the same time to b. just to the Gus
| toner In short. he was sound. cOnserNa tINt
! business man with winning frankness and op'n
/ hcartedness Of thought aud speech and manner,
and his wiS' cuuns..S aud friendly words viii b.
missed most by those vino knew him lest
Many years ago Mr. Leonard joined the Masonic
fraternity. He was member of Beaus-ant com
mandrry, n r., of this town. and also Of Delta
lodge X. * l.. Of II.
II In July 1876, he married Miss Cora Baker Of Thu
TOWN, whom he leaves, with four children, the ED
est only eight years uf age. tu mourn the luSS ui
| one of the kindrst Of husbands and fathers IL,
| also leaves an older brother, Mr. Howard Leon
ard. who is IN feeble health. and younger sister
| Mrs Helen Manchester. both residents of Namp
tom y. Y, a town adjoining Fairhavrn.
His final diSeass. titSt manifested itself la tht
form Of catarrhal fever with some symptoms of
/ pneumonia "a disease which about II years az,
nearly cost him his life but il afterward develop
ed into brain fever, from which his system, ~
hausted by bodily and mental oy"rwurk, cuuI,
not rally
The funeral services were held at the Baptist
church Tuesday afternoon at O'Clock. under ia,
auspices of BrAu-cant cuumaudeIy. X. r.. O.,
performance of whose rites was proceeded hy u-
marks and prayer hy Rev Mr. Parry Delta ludl e.
X. * l.. of II and the publishers and printers u
the town also attended in a budy, together with
large concuurr. of citizens. The remains WEIR
buried ia Prospect Hin cemetery. r....-
p - .